It Ends Tonight
by biscuit'nd'pakkun
Summary: Naruto, Sai and Sakura failed to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. SasuSaku short story. :D
1. Chapter 1

[Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto]

[Hi... Biscuit here… I wrote this oneshot right after I finished playing the acts of Naruto Ultimate Ninja 5 my sister Pakkun lend me (Arigato Pakkun!) I was somehow inspired by the not-so-happy not-so-sad ending… So, I hope let's enjoy. Oh. Before I forgot.. This is a SasuSaku fic… I also wrote this while listening to It Ends Tonight by All-American Rejects… I think the mood of the song fits this… Hehe… Try reading this while listening to it… Sorry for the long intro... ]

"_Now I'm on my own side_

_It's better than being on your side"_

- It Ends Tonight by All-American Rejects

"Let's just rest for now. We've got a long way to go tomorrow." Yamato said to his team members Naruto, Sakura and Sai. Team Kakashi is staying at a jutsu-made resthouse by the wood-element user jounin.

Sakura looked around the room. Like the first time Yamato made a house, there isn't any furniture occupying their quarter, only a high stool. "I'll just be on the room nearest the entrance. Goodnight. And don't forget to close the window." Yamato smiled at them and closed the door.

Feeling a little bit down, she chose the place nearest to the window. Staring at the window makes her nostalgic and reminiscing somehow lifts her from forlorn memories.

She sat down beside the wide window, and looked outside. She can see the forest, and of course, the dark, starless sky. Even the moon isn't there. New moon, she thought.

"Sakura."

The pink-haired nin turned her head to look at a black haired boy. "Hmm?"

Sai's black-irised eyes darted towards a yellow-haired boy across the room, to show Sakura what is happening to Naruto. Sakura gazed at the downhearted genin, then back at Sai.

"Let's just leave him be, for now. He needs time…" Sakura whispered, only for Sai to hear. Sai nodded. Sakura smiled forcibly and returned her gaze outside and sighed.

_Sasuke…_

Sakura bit her lower lip to control some tears trying to escape her green eyes. She still remembered the last moment she spoke to Sasuke when they're still young. Saying trivial things to him just to make him stay… She shook her head as the memory reeled into her again, like an open book she didn't stop staring at.

Why do you just leave without saying anything? Don't do this Sasuke! You don't have to be alone!

_I'll never be like you and Naruto._

Sasuke! I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it! I'll even help you get your revenge! So stay here… With me…

_You're still so annoying._

Don't leave us! If you go… I'll scream and…

_Sakura… Thank you. For everything._

The last sentence of her memory pushed the teardrops out of her eyes. She never thought Sasuke – Sasuke, the boy she liked only as a 'crush', the boy she just foolishly adored – will really leave something painful in her heart. When they're only children, she only likes him because all the other girls like him too. But now, in what just happened earlier in Orochimaru's hideout… The exhilarating feeling and excruciating pain of seeing Sasuke again – that just awaken that 'feeling' again.

She doesn't only like him. Love. She loves him.

But it's only foolish and stupid to love him, she thought. Now he's away, and very impossible. Even if she waits for all the crows' feathers to turn white, even if she hopes to snow in the desert, Sasuke is definitely not going back to Konoha. The moment she saw the new Sasuke earlier, she felt immeasurable miles had gapped between her and him. He's dark and powerful. Hopeless, she thought.

And now, she has made a decision. An austere verdict.

She has to stop. Stop loving him.

She needs to forget him. Forget him for good.

_It ends tonight._

Sakura scowled in the dim candlelight, determined to make her decision clear. She nodded and closed the windows in front of her, as Yamato instructed them. Time for sleeping, she thought as she brought out her sleeping bag.

She removes her Konoha forehead protector from her short hair, and pulled the gloves from her hand, also her heeled jounin shoes from her feet. She lay down on her sleeping bag and stared at the wood ceiling of the mini-hotel rest house.

Slowly, somnolence attacked her. She felt her eyes became heavy. After how many minutes, she closed her eyes.

But that drowsiness was disrupted.

She felt something slithering at her feet. She tried to shrug it off and attempted to go back to sleep, but she can't. Lazily, she opened her eyes and checked out what's the thing at her feet.

A snake. Then another snake. Coming out from her sleeping bag.

She stood up instantaneously, jerking up from the snakes. Every second passing the snakes are multiplying. She then remembered Sai and Naruto. She saw them from across the room, but the snakes are slowly engulfing them.

_Naruto! Sai! _She called out but no sound came out from her mouth.

Her heart pummeled faster. Her lips became dry of nervousness. _What is this? Is this genjutsu?_ She assumed. _I can't even speak… No words are coming out of my mouth!_

_Okay._ She formed a handseal and…

_Release!_

But it has no effect. The snakes are still there. She approached the window but she can't tug it open, even with all her strength. There are about a hundred snakes on the floor. So, she jumped on the only high thing in the room, a high stool. _I should get out of this…_

She brought out a kunai. _I learned doing his from him… Ugh. I said I'll forget about him!_ Angrily, she shrugged and raised the kunai up, to stab her right leg.

But a pair of pale, cold hands hindered her from doing it.

_H-huh?_ Sakura lifted her head to see who is the owner of the hands.

"Sasuke?" She recognized. At last, voice came out from her mouth.

She stared at cold, dusky eyes of his. But as her instinct, she pulled her hand from his and yanked away from him. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Just visiting you." Sasuke nonchalantly said. The moment he spoke, all the snakes disappeared. Even Naruto and Sai.

Sakura was alarmed, became scatterbrained, not knowing what to do. "Where's N-naruto and Sai?" She said nervously but stormily.

"Don't worry, they're just outside." The raven-haired boy said as he walked towards Sakura. The girl was glued to her place, wanting to move but unable to shift.

"What do you want?" Sakura grimaced at him.

"Nothing." Sasuke breathed behind her. His cool breath sent tingles down her spine.

She felt her knees weaken. _I… I need to fight this!_

"I just want to talk to you."

_Huh? _She blushed in confusion. _What did he say?_

"I said I want to talk to you." Sasuke impatiently told her, as if reading her mind.

Sakura panted. She's running out of breath, because of anxiety. With all the strength she's got, she turned around and punched him.

But…

POOF.

Knowing what will happen next, she pulled out a kunai and turned around.

But as fast as lightning, Sasuke caught her off-balanced.

How she missed that handsome face that she always wished to be near when she was young. And now, she can almost feel his every breath on her face. She felt the entire heat rose up to her face. Her face flushed red.

"I missed you, Sakura." He said with an impish smile.

That moment, she doesn't really know what to do, or what to say. What she only knew is she can't really stop what she feels. She felt falling into his deep dark eyes, and she doesn't care how helpless she would be.

_Sakura, wake up! _The back of her mind told her. _It's only a dream!_

Realizing everything, she pulled back from him immediately, even if she doesn't want to. _T-this is only a dream! I need to wake myself up!_

_This isn't a dream Sakura. _She heard Sasuke in her mind. Baffled, she looked up at him again.

"Hmph." She scowled in disbelief and pulled out a kunai again. This time, she'll stab herself so she can get out of this.

At last, she was able to stab herself. She pulled out the kunai, and her leg bled. But nothing had changed. She's still inside the room, with Sasuke. _What does this mean… Even if I'm hurt I'm still here?_

Then, she lost grip off the kunai.

Sasuke had her pinned to the wall.

"Sakura…" Sasuke silently said, with a sad look, staring at her green eyes. "You know what? I won't even go to that Orochimaru. But I need to, because of my brother. If not only for my brother, If only he didn't killed the whole clan, I would've stayed… Stayed with you… As you promised me…"

_Sasuke! I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it! I'll even help you get your revenge! So stay here… With me…_

She remembered those words from her well. Sakura's anger melted away. She stared back into his eyes, and felt some tears come out again from her eyes.

Slowly, his lips descended to meet hers. _Don't cry._

She closed her eyes. She felt his gentle lips in hers, as if comforting her.

After how many seconds, their lips parted. She opened her eyes once again, and she saw the wooden ceiling above her. She stood up, and felt the pain in her leg. Her right leg was bleeding from an open wound.

She looked up. She saw the window is ajar.

Outside, she saw the full moon overhead and the sky full of stars.


	2. Chapter 2

_[so… this fic is supposed to be an oneshot only, but we decided to make it a little longer… sorry… hehe… enjoy. :D]

* * *

_

"Are you sure you're okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked her while staring at the bandage wrapping her upper right leg.

Sakura smiled. "Of course. Don't worry about it." She's very fond of Naruto. She loves him very much as a brother. She feels safe around him, and he's like a big brother trying to protect her little sister.

She has always known that Naruto feels something for her, but… as she thought earlier, she loves him only as a brother. Because deep inside her, she's longing for someone. Someone her heart beats for, someone her mind thinks of every night. And just last night, they met.

They met in her subconscious mind.

At first, she doubts it. _Is it really Sasuke? _Maybe it's only a dream. But what's the gash in her leg? The open window which she closed before sleeping? The full moon that appeared after she woke up? The previous starless sky that when she woke up it suddenly was filled with twinkling stars? The unknown feeling in her lips that _he_ gave her?

Sai and Naruto are deeply asleep that time so it's impossible for them to trick her like that.

One conclusion formed in her psyche.

_It's real._

But will it happen again? Does that only happen in dreams?

_In dreams._

She wants to sleep again, hoping and yearning that in the moment she'll close her eyes, she would see him again. But she can't make sure of that.

"Let's go, Sakura." Sai broke her musing. She nodded, dazed, and followed her team mates.

* * *

Finally they arrived in Konoha, but it's already nightfall.

"Uhm, you guys go home immediately, and rest." Yamato instructed them. "I'll just go to the Hokage to report, and also, Naruto. You go with me. You have all the facts wanted."

"Aww, dattebayo. I wanna go home already." Naruto yawned.

"No, you'll not. Not until we speak to Tsunade-sama." The jounin told him, then he turned to Sakura and Sai." We'll go for now. Take care."

Yamato and Naruto disappeared in thin air, leaving traces of smoke.

"So, Sakura, I guess I'll go too." Sai told her and smiled. Sakura smiled back, wondering if that smile is true. She knows Sai has 'no emotions', but a part of her brain tells her it's real for now. Maybe with the help of Naruto, he regained his long-lost emotions.

After how many seconds, Sai vanished too.

She heaved a sigh. The sun has set already, and the moon rose up in the dark uncanny sky. She raised her head up and saw the innocuous bright moon. The vivid moon reminded her of something.

What had happened last night…

His cool yet swooning breath, his enigmatic yet handsome face, his surreal but gentle kiss… It all came back to her, again.

As she made her way towards home, she passed by the place where Sasuke left her three years ago – the bench along the road.

_Sasuke! I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it! I'll even help you get your revenge! So stay here… With me…_

She shrugged as the words echoed in her head again.

"_Sakura… You know what? I won't even go to that Orochimaru. But I need to, because of my brother. If not only for my brother, If only he didn't killed the whole clan, I would've stayed… Stayed with you… As you promised me…"_

She frowned in frustration as she took two steps at a time, pacing faster. She wants to go home already. She never felt occupied in her whole life. Loving a person even if it's impossible, it's stupidity right? She doesn't know what to do. Since she is a chuunin, she is intelligent, decisive and cunning. But what's happening now? She can't decide what she will do with that 'feeling.'

"You're already here, Sakura." Her smiling mother greeted her, and it appears her mother bought something from the nearby store. "Are you okay?"

Sakura faked a smile. "Of course, mother. I'm just tired… I'll go to sleep early."

She and her mother entered the house. "Won't you grab and eat something before sleeping?"

"No, thank you mother. We ate something before going back here." Sakura lied. She gave her mother a peck on the cheek before going upstairs.

Her mother stared at her while she's walking upstairs. _That's unusual of her.

* * *

_

It's already midnight. She can't sleep.

Earlier, she had gone down quietly to grab a snack. She can't resist eating, because she's actually hungry the time her mother asked her. And now, in her pink pajamas, and as her usual routine before sleeping, she sat at the windowsill of her large window of her room, with her legs dangling outside, and stared at the entirety of her surroundings. Her room is pretty high, she noticed as she looked down. _If I would fall I would break my bones…_ She gazed outside, her face impassive.

She exhaled deeply. Little by little, her eyelids drooped, but she shrugged to wake herself up. She doesn't know but she was afraid to close her eyes. Just earlier she was wishing if she could sleep immediately, but now, she doesn't want to snooze off. She feels something might happen, or she might see someone.

But isn't that what she want? She shook off the thought.

_I should forget about him anyway. I should and I should start it now._

Sakura stared half-awake at the large tree nearest to her window. She can't really control her drowsiness. While staring, she saw something… or someone perched at the tree. Raven hair, pale skin, black eyes. She stared intently but sleepily at the 'person', which is also staring at her. She gazed back at the dark eyes of the person. _Oh. The black eyes turned red._

Then, pink haired girl's world whirled around in a blur. She fell forward. She felt her body falling down fast, and just later she'll hit the ground hard. But she doesn't care. She's sleepy, anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura felt plunging through the cool and humid wind surrounding her. She felt falling faster… faster… she sensed she's near the ground… the ground that is ready to shatter her bones into infinitesimal pieces…

But she's wrong. She felt someone had caught her. Someone saved her. Someone embraced her to keep her from breaking. Her senses came back to her again. She opened her eyes.

Eyes with black, dark pupils…

As she usually does, she jumped away from the person's embrace. She stared at the person, her eyes wide in fear and shock… and anticipation.

_S-sasuke?_

So its true, she thought. He always appears in her dreams, the time when she's fast asleep, the time she's at her vulnerable point. Her heart skipped a beat. _Okay. Now, what will I do?_

Sasuke didn't say or do anything. He just stood there, looking at her.

Her head said she needs to get out of this dream. Fast.

But her heart told her to stay.

And she has decided that she'll follow her head, not her heart. Sometimes, following your heart won't do any good. That's why she'll hate him now. She's serious. She won't hope anymore. She'll fight him. NOW.

The girl fastened her gloves and disappeared into the air. The boy meanwhile looked confused, but still his icy composure remained. He braced himself from any attack that would come.

_Take this!_

The ground cracked but Sasuke jumped up so that he can dodge the attack.

_Why are you fighting me?_

_Just get out of my dreams. _Sakura sent back. She found out that in her dreams that they can speak to each other just using their minds.

_Why would I?_

_Just leave me alone. _Another Sakura punched behind Sasuke but the boy dodged quickly. Then, he pulled out his kusanagi and striked at Sakura. The girl disappeared.

_A clone, eh?_

_Please leave me alone._

_As if I would do it._

_I hate you._

_No, you don't._

Sakura stopped attacking and backed away, as if Sasuke said something that cuffed her breath out of her.

_This is the only way I could talk to you and now you're driving me away? _Sasuke sent.

Sakura's heart melted but she's trying to harden it back. _Like the hell I care._

_Yes you do care. Am I wrong?_

She can't take it anymore. She's infuriated. Angry, but not at him. She's exasperated at herself for being weak. She's weak at deciding, fighting and blocking her emotions.

But I need to fight this, she thought. She gathered all the chakra she can gather, concentrated it in her right hand. After that, she ran fast towards the direction of Sasuke.

_Chaaaaaaaaa!_

_I'll be back, Sakura.

* * *

_

"Sakura!"

_Hmm?_

"Sakura! Wake up!"

She opened her glossy green eyes. "M-mother?" She stood up.

"What are you doing here? Sleeping in our backyard? And you're shouting while you're sleeping! I'm dead worried about you."

She shook her head. "N-nothing… Just a bad dream... I sleepwalked, I guess…" She smiled tentatively.

"You little girl." The mother said as she pulled her daughter in pink pajamas up, to help her stand up.

"Thanks, mom…"

While following her mother inside the house, she felt desolation and perplexity mix inside her. Her head was filled with bewilderment.


	4. Chapter 4

Several nights had passed.

Everytime Sakura would wake up in the morning, she feels empty but worry-free. Sasuke isn't appearing in her dreams anymore. _He's gone._

Deep inside her she's still wishing she could see him. But her mind told her that it's good, because she can completely forget about him.

_I'll be back, Sakura, _he said.

But he won't anymore, she thought. It's good for me. _Yes, I know it's good for me._ She smiled in triumph.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yes?" She looked at Naruto, still wearing a smile.

Naruto gave her a why-are-you-smiling look.

She glanced sideways, while walking with her team mates. "Why are you looking at me like that…"

"It appears you're very relaxed these days, Sakura-chan." _And you're not punching me anymore_, Naruto thought and grinned.

"Y-yeah! I'm also just thinking about the new mission Tsunade-sama would give us."

Naruto nodded. "I'm also wondering what it is."

Team Kakashi stepped inside the Hokage's room.

"You four are on time." The Hokage commented. "I won't wait longer to say the mission, because it's urgent. So, your mission is to investigate the previous Orochimaru's hideout."

"Previous Orochimaru's hideout?" Naruto, Sai and Sakura said in unison.

"Yes." Tsunade answered, puzzled. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Nothing." Naruto scratched his head. "What will we do there, Granny?"

"Just investigate, because it might leave traces that will pinpoint us to their next hideout location. Understand?"

"Yes!" The four agreed.

"And, Yamato, I take you in charge of these three."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Good. Now, prepare and you should travel before nightfall comes."

* * *

The team traveled for almost two days.

Every meter, they're getting nearer the hideout. Also, Sakura's anxiousness is growing. What would happen in that place when she gets there? She can sense something will happen. But she doesn't want to think about it.

And now, they're standing in front of the hideout.

"Sai." Yamato signaled.

"Okay." Sai answered as he brought out his scroll, brush and ink. He drew many little rats swiftly but still accurately. After casting a jutsu, the rats sprang to life and rushed inside the hideout.

The team waited for minutes and Sakura noticed a larger rat had emerged from the darkness of the door's shadow. The rat appears to be the 'leader'. It approached Sai, and Sai appears to understand its squeaks.

Then it disappeared.

"The rats said there's no one inside." He seriously told them. "We can investigate freely inside."

Yamato nodded as he walked inside. His members followed.

* * *

Sakura was walking along a dimly-lit hallway.

Yamato told them to split up and search. They should meet each other at the main chamber in two hours' time.

Sakura felt comfortable. As far as it goes, nothing bad is happening to her, here inside the hideout. And all she needs to do is to do her mission.

Her 'problem' seemed to be solved. She wasn't thinking about him that much anymore. Good thing he doesn't appear to her every night in her dreams. She felt free again. Free of worries and fretfulness.

Maybe in moment's time, she would completely forget about him. Moving on hurts, but it does something good in your life.

She noticed that along the hallway there are many rooms. _I need to investigate each room._

After one hour, she scrutinized every room, as she thought earlier. There she found some things like oddly-shaped shurikens and kunai. These things might help in tracking them. She also found a hard-bound diary of what appears a female warden. And lots of other things. She would give it to their captain later.

Early as it seems, she'll go back to the main chamber already. There aren't anymore rooms waiting to be inspected, so she'll go back.

Except for a locked room at the end of the hallway.

She punched it hard a while ago, but even with her brute strength, she can't smash it. It seems that door needs a key, but she can't find the key, and gave up on it. She'll just tell it to Yamato later.

While walking, she felt the things she's holding are going out of balance. The not-so-good-smelling clothes fell first, then the hard-bound diary next. It made a loud thump on the cold concrete ground.

Then something tinkled.

She placed the things down and looked at the diary. Not far from it, a key lay.

Is this the key to the locked room? She thought. Sighing, she fixed the other things and placed it on a corner. She then picked up the key – it's silver – and ran to the direction of the locked room.

* * *

She twisted the doorknob. The door creaked open.

She stepped inside and felt the coldness of the room. Its peculiar coldness.

The room is slightly dim as she walked inside. And mysteriously, a candle lit at the center of the room. Her pulse ran faster. _Sai is wrong,_ she thought, _there is someone here!_ Someone that might kill her… Kabuto, or worse, Orochimaru.

Sakura turned slowly and silently made her way to the ingress of the room. She held the doorknob and twisted it deliberately.

_Leaving already?_

Her hand jerked away from the doorknob, as if it electrified her. Her pulse raced faster. _That voice… In my mind…_

She turned around, eyes wide in shock.

_Sasuke!_

The door shut behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

_You… Again!_

She sent him, her face full of fear. She thought she got over her problem. She thought she's forgotten about him utterly.

She got it all wrong.

Sasuke just stood there, not replying to her thoughts.

She made this chance to escape. She turned around again and held the doorknob again. But the girl can't twist it.

Cold hands touched her shoulders but she got away from it quickly, as if irritated. She ran far from the door, because Sasuke is near the door.

_Let me out!_

The boy from across the room just shook his head slightly. _No._

_What are you doing this for? Huh?_

He did not reply.

The girl frowned. _J-just… Just leave me alone. I have my own life now; you have your own too. You chose it._ _Bear with it._ Her frown is full of pain, as if saying the words stabs her from the inside. She's lying. Lying big time.

He glanced ruefully too, at her. _Don't worry, this'll be the last time I'll disturb you. I just want to say sorry and goodbye. That's all. _He turned his back away from her, heading to the door.

She felt ache inside her chest. She doesn't know what made it hurt from the inside. Regrets… Sadness… All mixing up inside her.

_Wait!_

She can't control it anymore. She can't lie to herself anymore. Lying to yourself means you're a big time imbecile.

And now, she admits defeat.

She can't forget him.

She knelt down on fours, frustrated. She felt her body went numb. Her eyes became watery of vexation. She bit her lower lip, to control the tears that are trying to escape out of her tear ducts. She stared at the cold concrete ground below her, as if it'll wipe her grief away. She panted unevenly.

But she sat up immediately, still looking at the ground. She exhaled deeply. Maybe this will be the last time she'll experience great grief.

Sakura felt him walking towards her again, but she did not look at him. She doesn't care anymore. Slowly, her tears flowed and dropped one by one, on the floor. She wiped it with her shaking hands. Indignantly, she stood up and passed by him, not noticing him.

She's about to hold the doorknob but cold arms wrapped around her. Sakura was stunned. Her hands went limp. More tears flowed down her face.

Sakura cried in her mind. _Why is it that no matter how many times I remind myself that we can't be together, I still won't let myself fall for anyone else? Anyone else but you! _

Sasuke released her and turned her around so he can see her face.

Sakura looked down, still crying, as she spoke in her mind. _So, please. The reason why I'm driving you away is I don't want to wish anymore. You're giving me false hopes. And it's driving me crazy every night. So please don't show –_

Sasuke lifted her chin and kissed her, gently. After how many seconds, he let go of her.

_I'll promise I won't disturb you anymore. Maybe you're right; I have my own life now. But for the last time I'll say… I love you._ He said coolly, looking straight in her eyes, and then he turned his back away from her, heading for the door. _And remember this. Someday I'll be back. For you._

He disappeared.

Sakura stared at the door, dazed.


	6. Epilogue

"Sakura-chan!"

The pink-haired girl opened her red-rimmed green eyes.

"Sakura-chan? What happened? Why did you cry?"

_Huh?_ She looked around. She is sitting on the floor. Naruto is sitting on his heels in front of her. Yamato and Sai are on Naruto's back.

What happened earlier reeled into her again, but Naruto disrupted it. "Sakura-chan… We're worried… Seriously…"

"I-I'm sorry…" She found her words.

"We we're searching for you for five hours and we just saw you there, here in this end of hallway, sitting." Yamato tensely said.

"And no matter what we do to wake you up, you won't." Sai continued. "It seems your soul is on another place…"

_Another place._

She was alarmed and stood up immediately. She spun around. "Where's the door here?"

"Door?" Naruto asked, confused.

"There isn't any door there…" Yamato answered. _Weird._

Sakura just stared at them, speechless.

* * *

_After how many years…_

Sakura stared outside her window. She's tired of the party but she's happy of being promoted as a jounin. She smiled absentmindedly at the full moon.

Her eyes drifted to the large tree just near her window.

_Raven hair, pale skin, black eyes…_


End file.
